Building-block.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1908.

W. P. MEEKER.

BUILDING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1906.

awuawtoz I To all whom it may concern:

UNITED. 'sTATEs PATENT. OFFICE.

WILLIAM PASSMORE MEEKEIh-OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

B ILDI G-Bronx;

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM PASSMORE MEEKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, have inventedcertainnew and useful Imrovements in Building-Blocks, of which theollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to buildin -blocks wherein a finished faceis-mounted upon a body-block or base.

As is well understood in the art, vitreous or lass tiles, after theyhave been pressed or molded into sha e, must be carefully and thoroughlyannea ed to produce in them that toughness which is essential to theirdurability. And it is impracticable to weld a gglaips facin -tile onto aburnt-clay brick bac g and t en anneal it; for the brick backing willprevent the e ual ap lication of heat to both sides of the glass, whichis indispensable in annealing; and the unequal expansion and contractionof the glass face and the brick backing will crack and destroy theglass. Besides this, the ressure necessar to mold the glass and weld itto a brick bac ing is so reat that the backing would be crushed andilestro ed in the operation, particularly if it is hol ow or recessed.Furthermore, if a lastic back or bod -block of cement or simiarmaterialis mol ed onto an annealed glass face-tile havin a locking portion onits back, the unavoidab e variations in the size of the body block,which are due to the setting of the cement, will produce a strain uponthe glass facing-tile which is liable to crack or break it or itsattaching portions. I avoid these difiiculties and secure a merchantableand durable, faced building-block by first forming an annealed, glassfacing-tile provided with inturned edges, reparing a completedburnt-clay body-. lock, having a portion adapted to substantially fillthe space between the inturned edges of the glass facing-tile, andthenunitin the facing tile and body-block with a small portion of cement thechange of which in setting will not be sufficient to produce any unduetension upon the facin -tile, the parts of the composite buildinglockthus formed being in a normal, unstrained condition, and adapted tocontinue so, in use, under all ordinary conditions and temperatures.

Theparticulars relating to my invention are hereinafter set forth.

In the-drawings Figure 1 is a top view, and

i 2 an end view of one of my improved Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 25, 1906. Serial No. 297,728.

,Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

building-blocks; andFig. 3 isa top-view of a somewhat modifiedform ofthe same.

Similar parts are designated by similarreference letters in all thefigures.

A is the body-block or base, which is preferably molded from brick clayand burned in the usual manner. This body-block A is pierced by primaryopenings a a and, if necessary, by secondary openings a 0., located sothat there shall be approximately equal thicknesses of the brickmaterial between the openings and the exterior side and end faces of theblock. The sides of the block are provided with undercut rabbets b, I),thus forming central elevated faces B Bwith 1111-, dercut edges, on eachside of the body-block.'

The finished faces of the block are formed with vitreous tile C 0 beinginwardl turned edges 0 c, the tile being secured to t e body block bymeans of suitable cement, D, placed between them and securely unitingthem by gripping into the undercut rabbets b b, and

under the inturned tile-edges c c. The completed block presents theadvantages ofa perforated brick body combinin durability, cheapness,lightness and strengt and ornamental'tile-faces which will present auniform and finished tile surface when such blocks are laid'in positionone upon another. The main openings 0, a are so located that when jointsare broken in laying the blocks, the o enings in the superimposed blocksshall be substantially in line, thus'forming ventilating flues orconduits for pipes or wires through the body of the wall or build-v inparallel to the exterior surface thereof.

dn Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown my -block provided with two tile faces,while in Fig. 3' I have shown it rovided with but one such face. And Iwis it to be understood that my block"may be provided with one or morefinished faces, as may be desirable for the osition in which it is to beplaced. The block shown in Figs. 1 and 2 ,is particularly adapted foruse in a wall which is but a single block in thickness and each side ofdesired, as for instance in form a lining in subways and similar places.on used in damp or moist places, the perforation'sin the blocks act asdrains, through which water may be carried off, suitable drainconnections being made at thebase of the wall.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Petent of the United. States is The combination, in a;building-block, of a previously prepared brick-body rovided withundercut rabbeted edges em with a large, round, transverse opening-neareach end and with n plumlit of intermediate, triangular openings soibeeted that there shall be epproxinmtely equel'thieknesses of thematerial between the openings and the exterior side and end feces of theblock, and a homogeneous, glass tile face centrallythickened andprovided with beveled edges and with inwardly-bent laterally-ta )ermgedge-flanges, and united to the bodylock, parallel to the transverse o)enings, by a, eonneeting cement, the speee between the edges of the.inturned flanges being wider than the undercut face of the body bloek.

WlliblAM PASSMORE MEEKER.

Witnesses:

WM. 1). NEILLEY, WILLIAM H. Menu.

